Lovers & Leavers
by juliafan
Summary: An AmyDavid fic...or is it an AmyBruce fic? CHAPTER 5 UP! Is it the end?
1. Breaking up

In a downtown Hartford bar, a couple in their thirties sat and talked. Every few minutes there would be an eruption of laughter coming from the couple. They were Bruce Van Exel and Amy Gray. It was Bruce's birthday. Amy had taken him out for a birthday dinner after work. But, it was getting later. "Hey, Bruce, what time is it?"  
"Uhh....I have ten to eleven?" he said, looking at his watch. "Rebecca better be asleep by now."  
"Lauren won't be, that's for sure," they laughed, "oh my god, David!"  
"David?"  
"We scheduled a dinner date for tonight. I forgot to tell him about this. Oh my god, how could I be so stupid! He's gonna kill me."  
"No, he won't, he'll understand. And, if he doesn't...."  
"Doesn't what?"  
"You always have me."  
"Bruce, you know we can't date...we've tried it. You're like a brother to me. I would never date Vincent. So why would I date you?"  
"Because I would love and care for you, and be a lot better boyfriend to you than McClaren."  
"Bruce! I love David. And, speaking of him, I've got to go. I've been canceling every date we've tried to go out on. He's literally gonna kill me."  
"Well, he'd done it before."  
"Stop! See, this why I don't date you. Now, bye," Amy kissed him on the cheek before exiting to go to her car. Bruce smiled to himself as he watched her leave. He knew that Amy Madison Gray was the love of his life and that he would never let her get away again. And no David McClaren was going to change that. He'd kill David if he had to to get Amy.  
Amy walked briskly up the walk to the door of the Gray house. As she quietly opened the door, she noticed three figures in the living room. "Well, well, here comes Cinderella," a familiar voice was saying to her. It was David. She knew she was in for it.  
Before he could say anything else, she sprung to apology, "Oh god, David, I'm so sorry."  
"Mom, where have you been? Are you out of your mind? How could you stand up Victor's dad like this?" Lauren cried anxiously.  
"Lauren, just go to your room, okay?" Amy shot back, in a harsh tone. She didn't feel like putting up with Lauren's smart talk tonight.  
"Amy Madison Gray, don't talk to my granddaughter like that, especially after coming home at 11:30 at night," Maxine reprimanded her 30- something-year-old daughter as she came into the room.  
"Mom! Leave me alone, okay? This is between me and David. And, Lauren, go to your room and stay there!"  
"Fine, come on, Victor, oh and Mom, it's David and I, not me and David," Lauren replied smartly.  
"Victor, go wait in the car, we won't be here that long," David told his son as he shot a look at Amy.  
"Okay, I think I'll give Ignacio a call in my bedroom," Maxine said, going up the stairs and pulling Lauren with her.  
"Bye, L, later," Victor called as he left the house to wait in the car.  
They were alone. David continued sitting on the loveseat as Amy sat in a rocking chair and picked up her In Style magazine to read. "So, how long is this going to last, this insane coming home late, ignoring dinner dates like we're not going out?" David asked.  
"David, I'm sorry I don't spend every frickin' minute with you. I do have my own life, you know?" Amy snapped.  
"Yeah, I'll give you your free time now."  
"What are you saying?"  
"I'm saying that if you don't want to be around me anymore, then I'll end this relationship." And, with that, he got up and started to leave.  
"No, David, no! I don't mean that! I love you!" Amy cried desperately. Amy looked surprised at herself. She'd never even uttered those three words aloud to David until now. She just supposed he knew it. If only David had heard her, but he was already driving down the street. Amy felt tears springing to her eyes as she ran up the stairs and flung herself on her bed and cried. 


	2. Asking for Forgiveness

Lovers & Leavers  
  
Chapter 2: Asking for Forgiveness  
  
Amy Gray woke up. It was 3 am, and where was she? Oh yes, she had cried herself to sleep in her clothes, after being dumped by David McClaren. Dumped. Dumped. The last time she had heard that word she had dumped Stuart Collins at the altar. She didn't like it. In fact, she hated the word. It brought sadness to anyone who was dumped. She picked up the phone and dialed his number in the pitch black of the early morning. She didn't even need light; she knew the number by heart. She loved him, and she had to get him back.  
Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. "You have reached the residence of Dav...."  
"David, hi, I want to apologize..."  
"-id McClaren and Victor McClaren. We cannot come to the phone right now. Please....."  
"Hello, McClaren residence, Victor speaking," a sleepy voice yawned, clicking off the answering machine.  
"Victor, thank god. Is your dad there?"  
"Amy? It's 3 am....."  
"I know, I know. Is he? It's urgent."  
"Hold on." Victor put the phone down, as he searched for his father. Amy heard the faint sound of "Dad!!" in the background. In a few minutes, Victor returned to the phone. "I can't find him, he's not even in his bed."  
"Oh, okay. Could you tell him I called and that I'm sorry for everything."  
"Sorry? Did you have a fight? Please, Amy, I like you. I want you guys to be together. Don't hurt him."  
"I love him, Victor. Please tell him that."  
"I will. Bye, Amy."  
"Bye." She hung up and dialed another number. A number of someone who would always be there, there for her, there forever. 


	3. The Many Sides of Bruce VanExel

Lovers & Leavers

Chapter 3: The Many Sides of Bruce VanExel

Ring. "Hello?" The voice on the other end said in a tired, but strong voice.

"Bruce?" She barely let out as tears slid down her face, almost making it impossible to talk.

"Amy? What's wrong? Is McClaren beating you? Cause if he is..."

"No, it's worse. He b.....b......b...br..oke up w.....w....with m....me," Amy blubbered out. "And, the worst part is, I...I caused him to."

Bruce smiled. Now was his chance to get Amy back. "It's okay, Ames, I'll be right over. I have to bring Rebecca, though."

"Thanks, Bruce. Becca can sleep in Lauren's room." In ten minutes time, Amy heard a knock on the door. She quickly ran to the door, tripping over the rug as Bruce opened the door. The door slammed into Amy, causing her to squeal with pain. "Owwww!!!!"

"I'm so sorry, Amy. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think a pack of frozen peas will do the trick. Why don't you tuck Rebecca into the sleeping bag I laid out in Lauren's room? You remember where the room in don't you? I'm going to get those peas before my nose falls off." Bruce went upstairs to tuck his daughter in. Afterwards, Bruce went into Amy's room, settled in her already warm bed, and fell asleep. Meanwhile, Amy sat at the kitchen table, holding the peas on her nose with one hand, and the phone in the other. Carefully, she dialed David's number. "555-0893," she said aloud, as she punched the numbers in. After several rings, the answering machine picked up again. "Hi, David, it's me again. I'm really sorry for forgetting our dates. I realize my mistake, and I regret it terribly. Forgive me, babe, I miss you. And.....I love you." Beep. She put the peas back into the freezer and crept back upstairs. Sliding under the bedcovers, she noticed Bruce. "Oh no he didn't," Amy thought to herself, as she slid back out. Back downstairs, she curled up on the couch, wishing that David was beside her.

Beep. Beep. BEEP. 6:30. The pink alarm clock went off in Lauren's bedroom. Lauren woke up, barely opening her eyes to shut off the alarm before lying back down. Lauren always laid back down after her alarm went off. Usually, Amy had to pull her up. But, today, she noticed something, or rather, someone, different in her room. Rebecca Van Exel. What was she doing her? Rebecca was in fifth grade, a year younger than herself, and anytime she ever came over with her father, she followed Lauren (and Victor) everywhere. It drove her crazy to see Rebecca in her room without her permission. Mom was in for it!! Bounding out of bed, Lauren stepped over Rebecca's sleeping body and went to her mom's room. But, no Mom. The bed was empty. "Maybe Mom and David made up," Lauren thought excitedly. She ran back into her room to call Victor. The phone rang a couple of times before Victor finally answered it.

"Amy?" A sleepy voice answered.

"Victor, it's me. Is Mom over there? She has to be, she's not here. I think they made up!" prattled Lauren.

"L, Amy's not here. Neither's Dad, for that matter. He dropped me off and drove off. I'm scared, Lauren. What if he never comes back? Who will take me to school? Grandma's not here for some reason, and I...."

"Mom's not there? David's not there? Maybe they eloped in Las Vegas!"

"Lauren! I have something to tell you. Amy called here this morning. She was crying, and she wanted Dad back. She said she loved him. I think Dad broke up with her. How could he? I love your mom."

"I love your dad. I want them together. Mr. Van Exel's here, and I don't want him. Why did Mom have to go and make friends with him? I don't want Rebecca as my stepsister! "

"No, Lauren, he can't be there! Then, Dad and Amy will never be together. You've got to do something."

"Okay, we'll think of something at school. I'll get Mom to pick you up. That way, she has to go into your house again."

"Okay, later, L."

"Later."

Bruce stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed. He went downstairs, searching for Amy. "Why hadn't she slept with him last night?" And, there she was, on the sofa, sound asleep. He had to wake her. "Amy?" He nudged her gently on the arm, them a little harder. "Wake up, Amy."

She heard a deep voice. "David?" She called, still half asleep. "David, is that you?

He hated being called David. "It's Bruce, Bruce, your best friend, the person you should be with," he wanted to say but kept to himself.

Amy opened her eyes. Bruce was standing over her. She smiled, touching his cheek gently, until she remembered last night, and stopped abruptly.

"Don't stop," he told her, pulling her in to kiss her soft, warm lips.

Amy pulled away, anger rising. "You used me. You used my emotions, my feelings, and my sadness, to try and get in bed with me. I thought I knew you, Bruce. I thought you were my best friend, not some guy who wants to get in my pants."

"I thought you wanted that."

"If I wanted that, then I could've picked any lawyer in the Hartford Court System."

"I'm sorry, Amy."

"It's Judge Gray to you."

"I thought we were friends."

"No, Bruce, that's what I thought. Go home, and don't ever come back."

He headed for the stairs, to get Rebecca, and to get out of there. "Where are you going?" she asked. "To get my daughter."

"No, Bruce, I'll take her to school. You get out. From now on, we are on a strictly professional relationship. Out!"

And he got out. Amy was still crazy over McClaren, and he felt it was still his duty to save her from McClaren's grasp. That was still his plan.

Amy got up, got Lauren and Rebecca up, ate breakfast with Maxine, and drove the girls to school. After dropping Rebecca off at the elementary school, Lauren came out of her quiet shell. "Mom, Victor needs a ride. David never came home, and his grandma isn't home, either. I promised him that you would pick him up."

"Lauren! We're almost to your school! Why didn't you tell me at breakfast?"

"Because SHE was there! And why was she there anyway?"

"Who's she? Oh, Rebecca. I never got why you never liked her. She was there, because I needed to talk to her father. But, if it makes you happy, I'm not so happy with him, either." Amy took a U-turn and drove in the direction of David's house.

They rode in quiet for a few minutes, until Lauren finally worked up to asking Amy a serious question. "Mom, why were you not showing up for dates with David? You obviously love him; Victor said you told him you did. Why?"

"I don't know, Lauren. I just didn't realize the love until I lost him. The relationship was getting so serious, the kind of serious I wasn't used to."

Lauren thought for a few minutes, pondering every word that had come out of her mother's mouth. Finally, she thought she knew what her mother meant. "The kind of serious with David like you were with my dad?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"What about Stu? Were you serious with him?"

"Yeah, for a bit, but things were getting a bit too serious. That's why I dumped him at the altar. I did the same to David, but this time, I'm not fond of doing it, and I want him back...." Amy added, "but I think I lost my chance" silently to this. "Why am I telling you this, anyway?"

"Because I'm your daughter, and I have questions."

Amy pulled into the McClarens' driveway, surprised to see David's car there. They got out, walked to the door, and knocked. David opened it. "What are you doing here? He asked, but not at all surprised.

"Victor said that he needed a ride. You still hadn't come home, but I guess that he won't be needing a ride anymore. I better go, if I'm going to get Lauren to school. Come on, Lauren." She walked quickly to the car and drove away, not bothering to look at David. He shut the door sadly as they left.

Amy pulled into the parking lot. She had dropped Lauren off at school already. Walking in the court's building, she didn't bother walking into the cafeteria, for she knew Bruce was there. And, she had no intention of speaking to him. She had case files to read before court anyway.

The door to her office was unlocked already. She opened it, walked in, and was enchanted to see roses everywhere. "David?" she thought, but when she noticed the card, she was surprised even more. It was Bruce. Even after she had yelled at him. Clearing space on her desk to work, she sat down and began to read. Thirty minutes went by, as Amy finished reading, dressed in her robe, and prepared for court. Just as she was about to open the door, Bruce walked in with the day's docket. Or, so she thought. He walked in with more roses and the docket. She had to forgive him. "I'm sor....," she started to say, as he came to her.

"Shhhhhh," he quieted Amy, and leaned closer, so that he could smell her apple- blossomed fragrance on her neck. He touched her lips gently with his, ever so slightly. When he became aware that she was kissing back, the kiss became a stronger, more passionate one than before. They didn't even notice David McClaren standing before them in the doorway, wearing a distraught face.


	4. Leaving

Lovers and Leavers

Chapter 4: Leaving

"Sorry, huh? This doesn't look like sorry to me," David remarked as he slowly backed away from the door. Amy pulled away from Bruce, just as David was walking out. "David, wait! You don't understand! Wait!" Amy called as she jogged down the hallway to catch up to him.

But he was already gone. Amy stopped where she was and wrung her hands as her eyes became wet with tears. Bruce walked up to her and put his arms around her shaking body. And, together they stood there in the midst of the busy hallway.

Amy walked into the house. She could smell something arising from the kitchen and started off to investigate. She found Maxine, busy with a pot boiling on the stove and miscellaneous vegetables on the cutting board, ready to be made into a salad. Amy went over to the cutting board, and as she started slicing up an onion, tears once again sprang to her eyes. Maxine, sensing that these tears were not just from the onion, came over and put her arm around her daughter. "Amy, what is the matter? You've been down in the dumps these past few days and haven't talked to anyone. Tell me," she pleaded. "Is it you and David?"

Amy hesitated, deciding whether to tell her mother the story. Finally, she relented. "Mom, I really don't want to talk about this, but I know you'll just plead until I do, so, yes, it is David and I that is troubling me. He broke up with me, and I made a horrible mistake. I pleaded with him about taking me back, and then I…" Amy's voice broke off.

"What, Amy dear?"

"I kissed Bruce in my office today, and David walked in on us. Bruce had brought me flowers to make up from _our_ fight. I thought they were from David at first, but then Bruce came in and started to kiss me. And, I kissed him back. And, and David wouldn't let me explain. He walked briskly away from me and wouldn't answer when I called his name down the hallway. Mom, I love him."

"Who? Bruce or David? It seems to me that you're not sure _who_ you love."

"I _love_ David. I even told him on his answering machine a few days ago. How do I get him back? Help me, Mom."

"Amy, you are a grown woman. You're not Lauren's age anymore. Therefore, I do not feel the urge to straighten out your relationship problems. Figure it out yourself, dear."

"Mom, please," Amy pleaded, "I need help. I want him back! I love David. I just like Bruce……."

Amy was interrupted of her thoughts by the front door slamming. Maxine raised her hands up in disbelief, thinking why her family was so ignorant and went to see which one of those ignorants slammed the door. It was Lauren. When Maxine was about to chastise her granddaughter, Lauren pushed past her without even the slightest hello. She stomped into the kitchen and glared at her mother. "HOW could you?" Lauren whined, " HOW could you do this to David? Victor says that David won't even talk to him. Victor is scared that David will go off and leave him again. How could you do this, Mom? If you wanted to be with Mr. Van Exel, you would've stayed with him when you had the chance earlier. You're already committed to David, and he loves you. Can't you see that?" By this point, Lauren is bawling out loud. "Mom, I know I didn't like you two together at first, but I'm used to you now. Don't break up with him because of me. I never meant it. Victor and I don't have to be together. He'd be a cool stepbrother anyway."

Amy couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't stand her and let her daughter chastise her, even though she knew Lauren was right. She knew David loved her, and it was all her fault. Everything was her fault. So, she decided, if everything was her fault, then she'd leave. That'd show them. All of them. She wouldn't have to worry about Bruce or David. Setting down the knife she'd been holding all this time, Amy wiped her hands on a dishtowel and walked out of the kitchen. She stomped up the stairs, went into her bedroom, and grabbed a suitcase, throwing clothes in. After closing it, she quickly glanced at the picture of David on her nightstand before heading down the stairs and walking out the front door.


	5. The Beginning

Lovers & Leavers

Chapter 5: The Beginning

As she sped down the highway keeping her eyes glued straight in front of her, Amy barely noticed that one of her tires was becoming increasingly flat. If she noticed, she didn't really care. Today, she just wanted to run, well not run, but drive, drive, drive away all of her problems. Amy normally never ran away from her problems, but now, in the case of love, she felt she had to.

Finally relenting, Amy pulled over with a sigh when she knew that the tire couldn't get any flatter. This was just going to take more of her precious time. She didn't have much time to be where she wanted to be. But, anyway, she got out of the car to get the spare donut out of her trunk and roll it over to the flat tire, which was the left back one. However, Amy had still not mastered the expertise of changing a tire. She knew the basics, but she always forgot a step along the way. She sighed and looked out over the deserted highway, wondering whether she'd be stuck forever. She knew THAT wouldn't be possible, but it sure felt like it.

"Cell phone. I have my cell," Amy thought to herself as a light turned on in her head. She headed to her purse that was in the car. Turning on the phone, she saw that the battery was low; she had forgotten to charge it last night. "Darn! Darn, darn, darn!" Thinking she had enough power to call for help, she dialed her local mechanic. Ring. Ring. Beep. The line went dead after two rings, and the battery power was gone. Amy cursed. What was she going to do now?

He had done it again. He had left his son. His only child. How Victor must hate him! Why did he keep running away from his problems? He kept telling himself that Bruce kissed Amy, and Amy didn't kiss him back, but some little voice in his head kept saying, "David, Amy loves Bruce. She's always loved him. Back off." That's what he was doing now. It was time for him to move on---back to Greenwich.

He knew Kelly wouldn't want him to be hung up on her. Kelly always had believed that people should move on with their lives after a death in the family. But, still, he couldn't let her go. He wouldn't---not after he had tried to love again and having that fail.

David drove on a bit more, switching on and off the radio. He stopped for coffee once, but then headed back on the road. With the exception of a pickup truck that he had passed a while back, he was the only car on the road---until he saw a car stopped on the side of the road. Somehow, this car looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't recall why just then. He continued on, but suddenly changed his mind. So, he pulled into a deserted house's driveway and turned the car around. He just thought that this driver might need help and didn't want not helping the driver to fog his conscience up.

He pulled up behind the pulled-over car, but realized, as he stopped the car, why this car had been familiar. This was Amy's car, and Amy of all people was inside. What was she doing on this road? Why did it have to be her? She was the last person he wanted to see right now, apart from angry Victor. He'd rather have seen the ghost of Kelly—wait, no, he'd take that back. He knew that he had to help Amy. After all, Amy was not one to remember the procedure of changing a tire. He was surprised to see that she'd remembered where the spare donut was. So, he opened the car door, got out of the car, and started walking toward Amy.

A car had stopped to help, and a driver was getting out of his car-a driver that looked familiar. It was David! David! He was the last person she wanted to see right now. Why was he here?

Amy got out of her car to question him in the snobbish sort of way she had planned, but then stopped. She needed help, and David was the only person she had seen along this road. What if she yelled at him, and he decided not to help? So, she decided to take a calmer approach. Maybe she'd better apologize again. David did not have a smile on his face after all.

"David, what are you doing here?" Amy asked him, in the calmest voice she had at the moment. Apparently, it was too smug for him.

"What? Do you want me to go home and just leave you here?"

"No, I didn't mean to be so smug about it."

"Look, let's just put the donut on so this will be over with." David went back to his car to get his emergency supply of tools and then came back and started changing the tire. He didn't ask Amy for help with anything and just did it all himself. After about fifteen or so minutes, he was done and was about to go. Amy, who had noticed this, decided to start up conversation.

"So, thank you for doing this, David. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't stopped."

"You'd still be in a sticky situation because you always did forget to charge your cell and write down the instructions to change a tire."

"Still, I'm grateful. You don't know how grateful I am that you stopped."

"Grateful? You? If you were grateful, you and I'd still be together. You would never have kissed Bruce, and you'd have actually kept out dates for once."

"I told you, I never kissed Bruce. He kissed ME."

"You didn't seem to upset that he kissed you, though."

"Look, I'm sorry, David. I'm sorry. I don't want to let this go because of one silly little kiss."

"Let what go? And it wasn't only a kiss. You decided that you'd have dinner with him for hours and blow off a date that we had made for a week."

"I forgot about it!"

"Don't you have a planner?"

"Yes, but….work is just so stressing right now….all I wanted to do was relax, and I didn't feel like a French restaurant was going to let me relax."

"Well, you could've told me that you didn't want to go…and we could've relaxed together," David smiled slightly at this and so did Amy.

"Is there anyway you can forgive me, sweetie?" Please? Can we put our relationship on trial?" I still love you. I've always loved you. It took me until I thought I'd lost you to realize that, but I do. I love you. I don't love Bruce. Maybe I thought I did, but I don't. I thought that I didn't love you because I loved Bruce. But I never loved him. I didn't feel it. With you, I feel that love. I just hope that you love me in return."

"Sweetie, I've always loved you, ever since I laid my eyes on you. Even when you were engaged to Stu, and I'd just met you! That's part of the reason I was always hanging around. I was devastated when I broke up with you. I couldn't bear ignoring you, even though I told myself that you loved Bruce. I want more than anything to rekindle our relationship. Will you have me again?"

"Only if you'll have me again."

"Yes, Amy Madison Gray, I will." Tears shown in both of their eyes-tears of happiness, of course. They leaned into each other and kissed, far more passionately than any kiss that Amy and Bruce ever gave each other. This was a couple that, even through arguments and time of not speaking to each other, loved each other passionately. This was a love that was deeper than any love was. Deeper than Amy's love for Stu, Bruce, or even Michael. Deeper even than David's love with Kelly. Amy and David were soul mates- two loves reunited together at last.

Reluctantly, Amy and David pulled apart and got into their separate cars, but they both drove to one place. Greenwich. It was time to say goodbye to their old lives and start a new one together. Kelly would not be forgotten completely, and neither would Michael or Bruce or anyone, because the past always touches the present and the future in some way. Still, there would be no more obsessing over the past and pulling together relationships that could never be, for that's what had pulled apart Amy and David in the first place.

When the two cars reached Greenwich, Amy followed David to the cemetery where Kelly's memorial was. Getting out of their cars, they walked hand in hand to the plot and sat down together. No words were spoken, not that they needed to be. The couple just held hands as they meditated in the stillness of it all.

THE END?

Or is it only the beginning of a new chapter of Amy and David's life, one without past relationships? Yes, it is only the beginning……


End file.
